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DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 

SENT  ON  ILL 

FEB  0  1  2006 

U.C.  BERKELEY 


DD20   12M   1-05 


A  Practical  Study  of  the 
Rough  Side 


of 


Nitro- 
Glycerine 


as 

USED  IN  THE  OIL  AND  GAS 
FIELDS 


Vv-j|,'s    ,4,  H 


1915 

Press  of  Democrat  Printing  Company 
Tulea,  Oklahoma 


Copyrighted  1915  by  Willis  A.  Hill 

All  Rights  Reserved 
Printed  in  the  United  States 


DEDICATED 

To  the  boys  who  have  passed  beyond  while  in  the 
employment  of  their  duty,  and  whose  sacrifices  have 
made  it  possible  and  necessary  for  us  to  learn  the  finer 
points  of  one  of  the  most  essential  and  useful  articles 
of  commerce  of  the  present  century. 

WILLIS  A.  HILL, 


3430S8 


PREFACE. 

The  intentions  of  this  little  book  is  to  give  a  few 
practical  and  useful  hints  on  the  nature  of  Nitro- 
Glycerine  to  all  those  who  handle  it  as  a  vocation,  and 
especially  to  those  whose  duties  force  them  to  come  in 
close  contact  with  the  same  and  who  cannot  rightly 
judge  when  it  is  or  is  not  handled  properly,  thereby 
putting  themselves  at  a  disadvantage  in  protecting 
life  and  property.  Where  anyone  is  fortunate  enough 
to  gain  an  unusual  advantage  for  observation,  study 
and  collection  of  facts,  it  is  right  for  them  or  him  to 
give  those  facts  to  their  fellow  workmen. 

WILLIS  A.  HILL. 

The  writer  wishes  to  hereby  give  due  credit  to 
Mr.  George  W.  Van  Vliet  of  Pleasantville,  Pa.,  whom 
he  considers  to  be  one  of  the  best  authorities  on  the 
subject  of  Nitro-Glycerine. 


INDEX 


NITRO-GLYCERINE :  PAGE 

Its  true  name  and  how  formed V 

Its  formula  and  weight 7 

Products  of  combustion 7 

Important  points  while  washing 8 

Firing  of,  with  remedies 9 

Why  some  of  it  does  not  freeze 10 

Some  of  the  dangers  while  handling 11 

Expansion  and  contraction  11 

Why  it  burns 12 

Its  ability  to  escape  into  dangerous  places 12 

The  effect  of  age  on 12 

Tests  for 13 

The  dissolvent  for  and  possible  results 13 

Classing  of  explosives  and  why     14 

Tamping  of  shots  in  wells 14 

Why  it  cannot  be  replaced  for  shooting  oil  and 

gas  sands  14 

The  results  of  shots  in  solid  and  broken  mass.  .15 
The  results  on  ttop  of  the  ground  with  sugges- 
tions   15 

The  dangers  of — to  casing  in  wells 16 

The  results  of  shots  in  the  propellant  class  on 
oil  and  gas  sands  16 


6  NITRO-GLYCERINE 

The  principal  feature  of 17 

The  everburning  of  oil  sands  with  suggestions .  17 
The  governing  of  shots  for  the  different  sands 

and  directing  the  same 18 

Shooting  of  gas  wells 18 

The  thawing  of  Nitro  Glycerine  at  wells 18 

Preparing  cans  of  stock  for  transportation 19 

The  filling  of  closed  shells  at  wells  and  dangers  of 

same 19 

A  simple  test  of  expansion 29 

A  common  belief  as  to  the  effects  of  dynamite 20 

Shooting  of  casing  and  tubing  collars  in  wells 21 

A  word  as  to  the  so-called  high  prices  of  Nitro 

Glycerine 22 

Frequent  queries  and  criticism  of  the  Nitro  as  used 

today 23 

An  Apology    23 


NITRO  GLYCERINE. 

Nitro  Glycerine  is  a  nitric  ether  of  glycerine. 
Since  glycerine  is  a  try-atomic  alcohol,  it  is  formed  by 
the  replacement  of  three  atoms  of  hydrogen  by  three 
nitro  groups.  It  is  to  be  considered  as  an  ether  of  nitric 
acid.  The  proper  name  should  be  "Nitric-Glyceride". 
With  nitro  glycerine  as  with  gun  cotton,  sulphuric 
acid  is  necessary  as  an  intermediate  agent  to  con- 
stantly keep  the  concentration  of  the  nitric  acid 
up  to  the  required  degree,  that  is,  to  take  up  the 
water  formed  during  the  reaction.  The  sulphuric  acid 
helps  to  precipitate  the  nitro  glycerine.  Since  the 
latter  is  soluble  in  both  concentrated  sulphuric  acid 
and  nitric  acids,  but  not  in  a  mixture  of  both.  If  too 
great  an  excess  of  one  or  the  other  be  taken,  part  of 
the  nitro-glycerine  is  dissolved,  and  the  yield  is  dim- 
inished. 

Mixing  in  large  quantities,  the  available  nitric  acid 
at  the  end  of  the  process,  is  too  much  dispersed 
throughout  the  mixture,  and  the  oil  running  in,  is  not 
at  once  attacked  by  the  nitric  acid. 

The  formula  for  nitro-glycerine  is  C3  H5  (No.  3)  3. 
its  specific  gravity  at  60-F  is  1.599.  The  weight  per 
quart  at  60-F,  is  3  pounds  5  1-3  ounces.  The  freezing 
point  is  46.4-F. 

One  kilogram  of  Nitro  Glycerine  should  give  1,135 
litres  of  gaseous  products.  The  temperature  of  com- 


8  NJTRO-GL'YCERINE 

bustion  of  Nitro  Glycerine  is  3005-C  or  5441-F.  The 
quantity  of  energy  given  off  by  1  kilogramme,  is 
6050.48  kilogramme  metres. 

Nitro  Glycerine  explodes  at  a  temperature  of 
360-F.  The  per  cent  composition  by  weight  of  Nitro 
Glycerine  is: 

Carbon    15.7 

Oxygen    63.0 

Hydrogen    2.3 

Nitrogen     18.8 

98.8 

The  per  cent  by  weight  of  products  of  combus- 
tion are: 

Carbonic  acid 57.6 

Carbonic  oxide 

Marsh  gas    

Oxygen    2.7 

Nitrogen  18.8 

Water    ,. 20.7 

99.8 

If  Nitro  Glycerine  be  ignited,  it  burns  away  in 
layers  until  the  lower  body  receives  the  360-F.,  or  the 
exploding  point.  Perfectly  pure  Nitro  Glycerine  will 
not  stand  a  heating  temperature  of  212-F  for  more 
than  a  few  hours  without  decomposition. 

Nitro  Glycerine,  or  stock  as  it  is  more  familiarly 
known,  takes  the  color  of  the  oil  that  it  is  made  with, 
providing  that  it  is  thoroughly  washed.  Alkalies  and 


NITRO-GLYCERINE  9 

sodas  are  unnecessary  to  cut  the  acids  when  washing 
Nitro  Glycerine  if  temperature  of  water  is  kept  even 
at  140  to  150-F.  Agitation  of  wash  should  be  kept 
low  in  wash  tanks  and  not  above  speed  sufficient  to 
bring  the  Nitro  Glycerine  within  4  or  5  inches  of  the 
surface  of  water.  Wash  should  consume  full  60  min- 
utes. This  alludes  to  over-flow  wash  of  one,  two  or 
more  runs.  Chilling  the  wash  by  varying  the  tem- 
perature of  the  water  will  set  the  acid  and  color,  and 
a  thorough  settling  and  slow  increase  of  temperature 
and  slow  agitation  are  the  most  effective  remedies. 

Motion  of  paddles  should  be  kept  as  uniform  as 
conditions  will  admit. 

Stock  partially  washed  and  dumped  in  with  raw 
stock  will  get  away  in  most  every  case.  The  temper- 
ature of  nearly  completed  stock  should  be  brought  up 
to  that  of  the  raw  stock  and  by  itself  before  mixing 
same,  and  then  when  agitation  has  been  slowed  down. 
Unwashed  raw  stock  dumped  in  with  stock  nearly  com- 
pleted, will  never  wash  clear.  Nitro  Glycerine  can  be 
cleared  with  cold  running  water  but  the  acid  still 
remains  and  stock  is  left  in  a  very  dangerous  state. 
When  cans  of  stock  are  found  with  pressure  on  them, 
it  is  possible  to  come  from  wash  that  has  been  pas- 
sibly  cleared,  but  not  allowed  to  settle  before  canning. 
Five  minutes  extra  washing  after  stock  has  been 
cleared  is  highly  recommended. 

The  pressure  from  a  bad  can  should  never  be  re- 
lieved over  or  near  anything  of  inflammable  nature, 
and  then  it  is  best  to  lay  can  down  with  bottom  end 
slightly  raised  and  cork  relieved.  A  little  Nitro 


10  NITRO-GLYCERINE 

Glycerine  wasted  in  this  way,  is  better  than  a  fired  can 
with  no  water  at  hand.  After  the  pressure  has  been 
relieved,  straighten  up  can  and  pour  off  surface  of  stock 
in  can.  If  bad,  add  a  little  water  before  pouring  off  the 
acid  on  top,  shaking  can  thoroughly  before  relieving 
pressure  helps  to  reduce  the  internal  pressure.  Firing 
in  the  washer  or  grounding  tank  is  caused  by  excessive 
temperature  and  too  rank  acid  water.  Dash  or  spray 
cold  water  on  same,  and  notice  woodwork  closely.  Run 
off  rank  water  as  soon  as  possible,  and  watch  for  fur- 
ther outbreaks  until  cause  has  been  reduced.  Too 
much  pick-up  added  to  wash  before  acid  is  run  off,  will 
cause  firing.  Excessive  oil  fed  to  machine  in  mixing, 
together  with  too  rank  water  in  grounding  tank,  when 
dump  is  made,  will  cause  firing  in  grounder.  Stir  rap- 
idly. Oil  spreaders  in  nitrator,  if  turned  with  inside 
end  of  pipe  pointing  towards  the  splash  of  acid,  will 
cause  repeated  and  serious  fires.  It  should  be  turned 
with  end  pointing  same  direction  as  motion  of  paddles. 
Pipe  should  be  about  7  or  8  inches  long  and  open  at 
end  only,  with  slight  decline  downward  where  possible, 
and  pointing  midway  between  coils  and  shaft.  Never 
over  the  coil  or  too  near  the  center  of  machine.  Great 
care  should  be  used  if  more  than  75  pounds  of  acid  is 
shy  at  any  one  dump.  One-half  or  five-eights  of  drum 
of  acid  should  never  be  attempted  to  ba  made  up  in  a 
1,500-pound  drum  nitrator.  If  necessary  to  use  short 
drum  of  acid  either  weigh  out  50  to  100  pounds  from 
other  drums  and  mark  same,  or  make  it  up  in  kettles 
or  copper  wash  boiler  of  100-pound  capacity,  feeding 

011  very  slowly. 


NITRO-GLYCERINE  11 

In  cold  weather,  it  is  necessary  to  warm  the  oil 
before  feeding  it  to  the  acid.  If  this  is  overdone,  the 
hot  oil  coming  in  contact  with  the  very  cold  acids,  or 
if  the  mixture  flashes  repeatedly,  the  oil  will  become 
parched  or  stiff  and  the  coating  it  forms  over  the  drops 
or  globules  of  the  Nitro  Glycerine  is  not  affected  by 
decreasing  temperatures  as  readily  as  the  inner  glob- 
ules, and  therefore  a  partial  vacuum  is  formed  within, 
and  allows  the  Nitro  Glycerine  to  stand  in  an  apparent 
liquid  state  while  it  is  standing  absolutely  still,  but 
with  a  slight  movement  of  the  can  containing  the 
Nitro  Glycerine,  these  drops  or  globules  collapse  in- 
stantly, and  the  entire  mass  is  congealed.  Nitro 
Glycerine,  in  this  state,  may  be  found  in  batches  of 
whole  cans,  or  lying  upon  the  ice  of  congealed  stock, 
or  in  small  honeycomb  pockets  scattered  throughout 
the  congealed  mass,  or  it  may  be  lying  on  top  of  the 
cans  even  when  all  the  stock  is  frozen  within  the  cans. 

For  these  reasons,  it  is  not  safe  to  force  frozen 
cans,  into  tight  cells  of  wagons,  or  crowded  too  closely 
in  magazines,  or  handled  roughly  when  carried.  Thawed 
stock  is  always  safest  to  handle  for  the  reason  that  it 
is  uniform  within  the  can  and  the  sides  and  bottom  of 
the  cans  are  plyable  and  less  confined,  and  less  sub- 
ject to  solid  jar.  Nitro  Glycerine  is  sensitive,  and 
therefore  dangerous  according  to  the  confinement  it 
is  in.  This  is  the  most  important  point  connected  with 
the  handling  of  Nitro  Glycerine. 

The  expansion  and  contraction  of  Nitro  Glycerine, 
which  is  10-121  of  its  entire  volume  upon  freezing  or 
thawing  is  so  much  greater  than  any  other  liquid, 


12  NITRO-GLYCERINE 

and  its  action  in  freezing  temperatures  when  the  oil 
has  been  over-heated  or  scorched,  leads  one  to  believe 
that  the  contents  of  the  drop  or  globules  of  Nitro 
Glycerine  is  a  very  heavy  gas  instead  of  a  liquid,  for 
its  expansion  is  equalled  by  nothing  else  except  gas. 

This  leads  one  to  readily  see  why  Nitro  Glycerine 
burns.  This  coating  of  oil  burns  off  and  allows  the 
nitro  compound  within  the  globule  to  escape  before  the 
globule  has  reached  the  full  expansion  or  bursting 
point,  which  is  reached  only  by  360-F,  and  then  slowly 
for  the  reason  of  its  being  a  very  poor  conductor  of 
heat. 

Nitro  Glycerine  has  the  peculiar  ability  of  getting 
through  a  small  opening  not  equalled  by  any  liquid. 
Place  an  ordinary  drop  of  it  on  a  piece  of  glass  and 
press  slightly  with  point  of  a  toothpick,  then  observe 
with  small  magnifying  glass.  The  results  are,  that 
the  larger  drop  will  easily  break  up  into  numerous 
small  ones,  and  roll  away  like  quicksilver,  and  if  they 
should  roll  near  one  another,  they  immediately  fly  back 
into  their  original  mass.  For  these  reasons  upon  a 
mass  of  warm  or  normal  Nitro  Glycerine  approaching 
a  crack  or  crevice  in  a  tank  or  trough,  can  or  shell, 
the  drops,  from  force  of  gravity,  assisted  by  its  oily 
surface  and  pliability,  immediately  break  up  into  the 
size  and  shape  necessary  to  pass  through  and  then  re- 
form on  the  lower  side  as  if  by  magic. 

Thoroughly  washed  Nitro  Glycerine  does  not  lose 
its  strength  with  age.  The  case  which  happened  near 
Hemlock,  Pa.,  where  a  Swede  man  and  his  son  were 


NITRO-GLYCERINE  13 

instantly  killed  while  digging  a  ditch  that  crossed  an 
old  acid  ravine  from  a  Nitro  Glycerine  factory,  from 
which  this  nitro  had  escaped  through  waste  pipes 
from  the  factory  twelve  years  before  the  accident  oc- 
cured,  is  a  fair  proof.  Again,  where  empty  Nitro 
Glycerine  cans  have  lain  idle  for  long  enough  time  to 
oxidize  the  whole  of  the  inside  of  cans  and  then  ex- 
plode violently  by  placing  cap  in  same.  These  two 
cases,  together  with  thousands  of  others  which  nearly 
every  man  of  the  oil  fields  has  a  sample,  are  proof  that 
it  does  not  lose  its  strength  with  age. 

Nitro  Glycerine  can  be  scattered  through  an  ab- 
sorbent to  an  extent  where  nothing  but  very  high 
power  caps  can  reach,  and  even  beyond  the  power 
where  anything  can  reach. 

Slight  traces  of  Nitro  Glycerine  can  be  detected 
by  adding  annaline  and  concentrated  sulphuric  acid. 
A  purple-red  color  is  shown  which  can  be  transformed 
into  green,  by  adding  water. 

Wood  alcohol,  ether  or  benzine  dissolves  Nitro 
Glycerine,  and  that  part  that  is  dissolved  is  harmless. 
Believing  that  there  is  a  reason  for  all  things,  then 
there  would  have  to  be  a  reason  for  this.  Would  like 
to  ask  this  question :  Does  not  the  ether,  wood  alcohol 
or  benzine  which  has  a  very  high  penetrating  and  con- 
tractive effect  on  anything  it  is  applied  to,  have  the 
added  results,  when  applied  to  Nitro  Glycerine  of  pen- 
etrating, and  contracting  the  coating  of  oil  over  the 
globule  so  rapidly  and  far  ahead  of  the  inner  nitro 
compound  which  is  a  very  poor  conductor,  that  it  pulls 


14  NITRO-GLYCERINE 

the  coating  off,  so  to  speak,  and  allows  the  explosive 
compound  to  escape  and  unite  with  the  elements  of  the 
dissolvent  or  the  air  and  thereby  forming  other  mole- 
cules or  compounds  which  are  harmless? 

The  results  of  combustion  of  Nitro  Glycerine,  puts 
it  into  the  detonator  class,  which  is  too  instantaneous 
to  seek  the  place  of  least  resistance.  It  is  an  all-con- 
suming flash  with  a  temperature  of  5441-F.  The 
power  that  is  developed,  is  not  far  reaching  in  propor- 
tion to  the  amount  exploded,  as  is  the  case  with  dyna- 
mite, the  explosive  known  as  SNG  and  other  powders 
which  are  in  the  propellant  class  and  whose  combus- 
tion is  nothing  but  an  expansion  of  gases,  and  which 
always  seeks  the  place  of  least  resistance. 

Tamping  of  Nitro  Glycerine  shots  in  wells  with 
fluid,  sand,  etc.  does  not  change  the  nature  of  the  ex- 
plosive, but  does  develop  power  and  sensitiveness  and 
drives  the  flashes  farther  into  the  formation  that  is 
being  shot,  according  to  the  pressure  of  the  confining 
fluids  or  sands. 

All  sands  as  well  as  everything  on  this  earth  is 
composed  of  various  elements  and  no  two  of  them  have 
the  same  melting  point,  therefore  the  results  of  a  shot 
of  Nitro  Glycerine  in  an  oil  or  gas  sand  is  to  consume 
those  elements  in  that  sand  having  the  lowest  melting 
point,  and  thereby  making  the  remaining  rock  porous 
plus  a  hard  driving  and  penetrating  flash  from  the 
center  of  each  mass  of  Nitro  Glycerine  exploded  and 
giving  a  freer  access  for  the  oil  or  gas  to  develop  the 
full  rock  pressure. 


NITRO-GLYCERINE  15 

The  natural  result  from  a  flash  where  the  Nitro 
Glycerine  is  in  an  undivided  state  is  for  it  to  take  the 
shape  of  a  round  ball  as  far  as  the  conditions  will 
allow,  such  a  shot  may  be  in  a  body,  or  strung  out  over 
a  given  number  of  feet  and  confined  within  a  hard  wall 
formation,  which  has  a  tendency  to  draw  out  its  shape 
from  a  perfect  ball  to  one  as  near  perfect  as  the  wall 
formation  will  allow,  but  in  all  conditions  there  is  an 
extra,  strong,  narrow  and  far-reaching  flash  starting 
at  a  point  of  its  greatest  diameter  and  leading  in  any 
uncontrolled  direction,  and  always  with  a  tail  flash 
in  an  exact  opposite  direction,  with  equal  power  and 
intensity.  This  occurs  in  all  cases  whether  confined, 
or  unconfined,  above  ground,  or  below,  large  or  small 
quantities,  but  if  these  masses  of  Nitro  Glycerine  are 
spaced  certain  distances,  according  to  the  volume  ex- 
ploded, then  the  separate  masses  will  all  have  a  sep- 
arate and  distinct  flash  of  its  own,  and  most  always 
in  opposite  directions.  Shots  in  wells  and  explosions 
on  top  of  the  ground,  do  not  often  act  the  same,  for 
the  above  reasons.  Shots  in  wells  sometimes  cannot 
be  heard  or  felt  on  one  side  of  the  well  or  rig,  but  in 
a  direction  at  right  angles  from  that  point,  it  may  be 
heard  or  felt  long  distances  away.  Many  cases  where 
men  and  horses  are  uninjured  a  few  yards  away  from 
an  explosion,  houses  were  wrecked,  or  twisted  long 
distances  away  in  another  direction. 


The  closer  one  gets  to  an  explosion  of  Nitro  Glyc- 
erine on  top  of  the  ground,  and  lives  to  tell  it,  meaning 
at  a  point  just  beyond  the  reach  of  the  flash  and  at 
or  near  where  the  air  not  consumed  has  been  violently 


16  NITRO-GLYCERINE 

forced  away  by  the  concussion,  the  less  liable  one  is 
to  hear  the  explosion  even  when  his  ears  are  not  af- 
fected, for  the  reason  that  he  is  standing,  or  lying  in 
a  vacuum  in  which  case  neither  heat,  cold  nor  sound 
can  penetrate.  The  principal  move  to  make,  in  case  of 
a  possible  explosion,  and  where  there  is  a  chance,  is 
not  to  try  getting  a  long  distance  away,  but  from  100 
to  200  feet  and  lie  down  flat  with  the  face  and  mouth 
to  the  ground.  Very  few  things  fall  within  that  dis 
tance,  and  the  heat  from  the  flashes  always  raise,  and 
on  an  incline  of  about  10  feet  rise  in  every  100  feet 
traveled. 


The  chances  of  casing  in  wells  being  damaged  by 
the  tail  flash  from  an  exploded  shot  rising  straight  up, 
or,  on  a  short  incline  in  an  upward  direction,  can  be 
greatly  reduced  by  spacing  the  shells  containing  the 
Nitro  Glycerine  from  12  to  14  inches  apart,  which 
causes  the  explosion  from  each  shell  to  have  a  sep- 
arate and  distinct  flash  of  its  own,  and  these  of  such 
varying  direction  that  they  counteract  one  another, 
besides  the  shot  is  better  for  the  results  wanted.  The 
mass  must  be  divided  far  enough  to  break  the  flash 
from  becoming  solid. 

The  results  of  shots  in  the  propellant  class  gives 
an  expansion  of  gases  without  the  consuming  flash, 
and  in  all  cases,  they  continue  to  expand  until  they 
reach  the  point  of  least  resistance  and  a  sufficient 
outlet,  plus  a  crumbling  rack-a-rock  effect  on  an  oil  or 
gas  sand  with  the  pressure  on  same  in  a  wrong  direc- 
tion, which  can  never  be  overcome  except  in  extreme 


NITRO-GLYCERINE  17 

cases,  and  that  where  the  natural  rock  pressure  is 
great  enough  to  partially  counteract  the  above  results 
and  making  a  thorough  cleaning  out  of  the  well  an  al- 
most impossibility. 

Nitro  Glycerine  has  few  uses  except  when  used 
with  an  absorbent  to  slow  up  its  combustion.  Its  main 
and  important  feature  is  its  ability  to  be  slowed  up  or 
its  intensity  increased  by  pressure  for  any  purpose,  in 
which  case,  it  has  no  equal. 

Where  oil  sands  are  highly  saturated,  shots  con- 
taining as  low  as  ~3 6-1 00  of  a  quart  to  the  foot,  and 
exploded  without  other  tamping  than  the  very  light 
oil  the  hole  contains,  are  known  to  be  injurious,  at 
least  not  beneficial  and  in  cases  where  the  follow-up 
is  strong  enough  to  reach  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
a  very  rank  dose  of  burnt  substance  greatly  resemb- 
ling lamp  black  appears.  Such  sands  should  have  water 
tamping  at  least  for  the  length  of  the  shot.  Where 
this  is  ordinarily  impossible,  the  small  shells  contain- 
ing the  nitro  can  be  inserted  in  as  large  a  shell  con- 
taining water  (salt  water  preferred)  as  can  be  safely 
placed  at  the  proper  spot  for  shooting.  This  appar- 
ently has  the  effect  of  tempering  the  burning  power  of 
the  flashes  to  the  desired  degree.  Jack-squibs  should 
not  be  dropped  on  such  shots  but  instead  they  should 
be  made  into  time- jacks  and  lowered  with  wire,  pre- 
viously run  with  weight,  and  wire  tabbed  or  marked, 
which  case, .  insures  the  proper  spooling  of  wire  and 
lessens  the  chance  of  a  fluke,  while  squib  of  that  na- 
ture is  being  run  through  long  strings  of  valuable 


18  NITRO-GLYCERINE 

pipe.  This  is  up  to  the  producer  to  see  that  care 
equally  as  extensive  is  used  while  exploding  such  shots. 
The  number  of  quarts  to  the  fooc  in  any  shot 
should  be  governed  entirely  by  the  richness  or  the 
barrenness  of  the  sand  being  shot,  all  of  which  can  be 
judged  best  by  being  on  the  job  when  the  samples  of 
sand  are  being  washed  out  and  their  position  carefully 
measured  by  the  same  steel  line  each  time  and  the  man 
in  charge  should  not  be  above  running  said  line  and 
washing  out  samples,  which  procedure  insures  the 
safety  of  the  line,  uniform  accuracy  of  measurements 
and  raises  him  to  a  position  where  no  one  has  a  right 
to  dictate  over  him  as  to  what  that  particular  well  re- 
quires to  complete  the  finishing  touches.  Dry  samples 
of  sand  are  as  inaccurate  for  judging  purposes  as  to 
compare  with  the  proverbial  boy  being  sent  to  mill. 
Likewise,  cable  measurements  and  frequent  change  of 
crews.  Petty  complaints  on  drilling  crews  and  shooters, 
never  adds  anything  beneficial  to  the  well  being 
worked  upon. 

Gas  wells  are  at  their  best  when  the  sand  has  been 
drilled  and  the  mudded-up  wall  has  had  time  to  thor- 
oughly clean  itself.  Shots  are  most  successful  in  same, 
after  the  rock  pressure  has  greatly  decreased  and  then 
shot  dry  with  about  one  quart  to  the  foot  for  5-inch 
hole,  and  under.  With  slight  increase  of  shot  for  in- 
creased size  of  hole  to  be  shot. 

The  thawing  of  Nitro  Glycerine  at  the  wells  can 
be  done  reasonably  safe  or  the  reverse,  according  to 
the  method  used.  Live  steam  in  direct  contact  with  a 


NITRO-GLYCERINE  19 

can  of  Nitro  Glycerine  is  about  the  most  dangerous 
thing  that  can  be  done.  To  thaw  rapidly,  remove  one 
or  both  corks  from  each  can.  Hang  by  ropes  near  top 
of  barrel  nearly  filled  with  hot  water.  Heating  can  be 
done  with  steam  and  water  brought  up  to  near  the 
boiling  point  on  surface.  Bottom  will  be  much  cooler. 
Cans  must  not  be  in,  or  close  to  the  barrel  while  heat- 
ing with  steam.  Loose  pipe  connections  sometimes 
fly  off  besides  making  it  possible  for  live  steam  to 
reach  the  cans.  Thawing  will  be  much  quickened  by 
keeping  the  thawed  stock  poured  off  the  ice.  Nitro 
Glycerine  being  a  very  poor  conductor  of  heat,  the 
thawed  stock  greatly  hinders  the  ice  within,  from  re- 
ceiving the  heat  required.  In  all  cases,  remove  the 
cork  before  thawing  and  see  that  the  frozen  stock  does 
not  completely  cover  the  inside  opening  of  the  can 
nozzle.  Frozen  corks  should  be  removed  by  first  apply- 
ing a  little  warm  water,  or  warm  ball  of  waste  to  can 
nozzle. 

A  full,  or  near  full  can  of  Nitro  Glycerine  should 
never  be  put  out  for  transportation  under  any  circum- 
stances. A  can  properly  filled  with  Nitro  Glycerine 
and  having  the  balance  of  space,  filled  up  with  water, 
carelessly  or  otherwise,  is  just  as  dangerous  for  each 
can  must  have  ample  room  for  expansion  under  all 
temperatures.  For  long  hauls,  nothing  can  be  better 
than  to  remove  about  a  pint  of  stock  from  each  can  to 
be  hauled  and  carried  in  extra  cans  or  poured  out,  and 
wasted,  rather  than  take  the  extra  risks - 

Cone,  or  cork  top  shells  should  be  handled  the 
same  as  cans  and  for  the  same  reasons,  that  is  Nitro 


20  NITRO-GLYCERINE 

Glycerine  is  sensitive  in  direct  proportions  to  the  pres- 
sure of  confinement.  From  the  fact  that  Nitro  Glyc- 
erine qualities  for  expansion  are-  so  great  in  changing 
from  frozen  or  to  the  thawed  state  it  follows  that 
the  stock  in  a  2-inch  10-quart  shell  10  feet 
in  length  will  raise  nine  inches  with  any  appreciable 
degree  of  increased  heat,  and  with  that  shell  corked 
tight  or  having  too  small  an  air  hole  it  would  make 
that  shell  a  very  hazardous  undertaking  to  run  through 
a  long  string  of  pipe  and  especially  deep  wells  where 
the  temperature  is  known  to  increase  with  depth,  plus 
friction. 

An  easy  and  quick  method  to  observe  the  rapid  ex- 
pansion and  contraction  of  Nitro  Glycerine  is  to  place 
a  drop  of  it  on  a  thin  piece  of  tin  or  copper,  then  heat 
a  pan  of  water  to  near  the  boiling  point,  and  take  a 
ball  of  wool  or  other  absorbent  fastened  to  a  stick, 
dip  the  wool  in  water,  and  raise  and  lower  it  near  the 
underside  of  the  tin.  Then  watch  sample  with  magni- 
fying glass,  if  handy.  The  action  of  the  sample  will 
be  nearly  as  rapid  as  the  hand  carrying  the  absorbent. 
Nitro  Glycerine  reaches  the  bursting,  or  exploding 
point  at  a  temperaturue  of  360-F,  and  the  heat  from 
the  above  described  experiment  and  in  the  open  air 
would  not  be  more  than  one-half  the  danger  point. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  claim  that  the  flash, 
or  force  of  dynamite  is  always  down,  even  when  lying 
in  the  open  air  and  on  a  hard  surface,  I  would  say,  that 
the  initial  point  of  expansion  is  always  up,  and  the 
tail  or  opposite  point  is  down,  and  therefore  the  only 


NITRO-GLYCERINE  21 

part  of  said  blow  that  can  be  recorded.  (The  writer 
does  not  claim  or  desire  familiarity  with  the  fine  points 
of  a  dynamite  plant,  for  the  simple  reason  that  there 
are  too  many  Chinamen  mentioned  in  the  press  dis- 
patches as  being  among  the  list  of  killed  and  injured.) 


In  cutting  collars  of  tubing  and  casing  of  all  sizes, 
and  especially,  under  fluid,  nothing  equals  a  line  shot 
of  just  the  required  amount  of  Nitro  Glycerine  ac- 
cording to  the  size  of  pipe  and  amount  of  pressure 
given  by  the  fluids,  this  to  be  thoroughly  absorbed  into 
dry  sand  of  about  4  or  5  times  the  amount  of  Nitro 
Glycerine  used.  This  small  charge  must  be  placed 
exactly  within  the  collar  to  be  cut,  and  not  the  length 
of  the  expanding  wires,  or  squib  below  the  collar.  This 
charge  when  carefully  handled  will  not  damage  more 
than  the  joint  of  pipe  carrying  the  collar  shot,  and 
should  not  do  more  than  split  the  threaded  end.  In 
cases  where  claims  are  made  that  the  shots  were  re- 
peated in  same  place  and  increased  to  5  and  even  10 
quarts  of  pure  Nitro  Glycerine  and  then  loosened  the 
pipe,  would  say,  that  the  only  way  this  is  at  all  likely, 
is  where  the  first  shots  had  opened  the  hole  and  ex- 
tending outside  of  the  pipe  the  balance  of  the  shots 
were  reaching  up  and  outside  of  pipe  to  where  casing 
was  really  fast,  and  thereby  loosening  the  same.  It  is 
possible  for  the  weight  being  dropped  over  small  sand 
shots,  to  be  deflected  by  pieces  of  wood,  or  other  float- 
ing substances  lying  on  top  of  the  fluid,  and  causing 
weight  to  strike  endwise  in  a  nearby  collar  and  thereby 
causing  a  bump  which  can  easily  be  mistaken  for  the 
shot  itself,  and  then  afterwards  get  the  real  bump  in 


22  NITRO-GLYCERINE 

the  wrong  place.     (Nothing  impresses  one  more  than 
the  real  experience.) 

In  defense  of  so-called  high  prices  of  Nitro  Glycer- 
ine torpedoes  exploded  in  wells  seen  for  the  first  time 
by  the  shooter  when  called  on  to  do  the  work.  A  few 
facts  made  plain,  might  assist  the  producer  to  write 
with  a  clearer  frame  of  mind  when  using  his  check- 
book. Every  time  that  nitrator  at  the  factory  is 
charged,  there  is  1725  pounds  of  mixed  acids  and 
glycerine  oil  used,  and  out  of  this  charge  there  is  1225 
pounds  of  it  that  goes  down  the  acid  ravine,  and  known 
as  "dead  waste."  The  demand  for  acids  suitable  for 
manufacturing  Nitro  Glycerine  is  so  great  that  cases 
are  not  at  all  rare  where  freight  on  same  is  paid  for 
distances  of  over  1,000  miles.  For  a  better  under- 
standing of  the  value  of  glycerine  oil,  let  any  one  in- 
terested, apply  at  a  drug  store.  That  experience  is  too 
common  to  need  any  comment.  Again,  the  chances 
for  finding  places  to  manufacture  Nitro  Glycerine,  that 
are  suitable,  or  possible,  are  so  rare  as  to  compare  fav- 
orably with  like  chances  of  making  the  Arkansas  river 
navigable.  These  facts  coupled  with  the  extra  hazards, 
plus  the  oversights  on  the  part  of  the  shell-makers, 
the  haste  asked  for  by  the  producer,  and  sometimes, 
necessary.  This  with  the  blinding  storms  through 
which  shots  are  quite  often  transported  and  handled, 
with  the  object  of  saving  the  contractor  or  well  owner 
large  sums  of  money,  are  only  a  few  of  the  reasons  for 
the  prices  asked  and  too  often,  never  received.  For 
the  good  of  all  concerned,  a  dead-beat  list  kept  and 
handled,  same  as  merchants  in  all  other  lines,  should 
be  put  in  force  immediately. 


NITRO-GLYCERINE  23 

In  answer  to  the  frequent  queries  as  to  why  the 
Nitro  Glycerine  of  the  present  day  is  not  as  strong  or 
good  as  the  glycerine  manufactured  in  the  old  Brad- 
ford days,  would  prefer  to  illustrate:  The  plug  from 
acid  drums  and  glycerine  drums  are  for  the  most  part, 
interchangeable.  If  plugs  from  acid  drum  is  screwed 
into  collar  of  oil  drum,  with  the  acids  and  oil  left  on 
their  respective  threads,  there  will  be  an  immediate 
explosion,  which  goes  to  show  that  the  mixture  is  too 
instantaneous  for  mechanical  variation,  and  the  only 
difference  in  the  stock  used  today,  is  that  it  is  more 
thoroughly  washed,  avoiding  expansive  gases  on  top  of 
stock,  and  thereby,  safer  to  handle. 

This  much  has  been  given  with  all  due  respect 
for  the  different  opinions  caused  by  the  different  ex- 
periences of  the  fraternity.  For  the  variation  in 
methods  used  in  manufacturing  and  handling  of  Nitro 
Glycerine  are,  for  the  most  part,  without  number. 


V* 


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